1. Field of the Invention
A retractable tow hook assembly is connected with a rectangular storage container having a vertical ramp end wall hingedly connected at its bottom edge with the container for displacement about a horizontal pivot axis from an initial vertical closed position downwardly toward an inclined loading position in engagement with the ground. The tow hook assembly includes a support plate that is connected externally with the container adjacent the hinge connection, and a tow hook member that is displaceable relative to the support plate between an upwardly extending towing position for engagement by the loop of a towing cable when the ramp wall is in the vertical position, and a non-obstructing downwardly-displaced retracted position when the ramp wall is in the downwardly inclined loading position.
2. Description of Related Art
Storage containers for delivering bulk material, landscaping material, and the like to a site, and for collecting waste at a site, are well known in the prior art. A storage container with a pair of swinging doors is shown in the Straka U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,574. Collapsible and sectional shipping and storage containers are shown by the patents to Csumrik U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,278 and Roberts U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,176. The provision of retractable covers for storage containers is shown by the patents to Willingham U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,713 and Aulick U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,789.
In the prior Hughes U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,270, a telescoping material handling bin is disclosed wherein a ramp end wall is pivoted downwardly to permit a loading/unloading vehicle to be driven up the ramp for engagement with the bulk material contained in the bin.
One problem that occurs during the use of such known bulk material handling and storage bins is that of transporting the bin to a given landscaping site, and removing the bin from the transporting vehicle without the bulk material shifting within the container to block the access doors, and/or to be discharged from an opening in a container wall.
In the aforementioned Melancon patent application, a storage container is disclosed having a ramp end wall that is pivotally connected at its lower edge to the container, thereby to permit the ramp wall to be pivoted from a vertical position downwardly toward an inclined loading position, whereby a front end loader may be driven up the ramp for the removal of bulk material stored in the container. The storage container of this application was provided with horizontal connecting bars for connection with a hook member fastened to the end of the towing cable on a flatbed transport truck.
Since the towing cables of many flatbed trucks are provided with loops at the ends of the tow cable for connection with hooks rigidly secured to the storage containers, the problem arises that the rigidly connected hooks of the prior art would interfere with the downward displacement of a hinged ramp wall toward the inclined loading position. To solve this problem, the need for a pivotal hook arrangement became apparent, wherein the hook member could by displaced from the vertical position toward a retracted concealed position that would not interfere with the displacement of the ramp wall between its inclined loading and vertical transport positions.